Eloquent, intelligent, thoughtful, and smart are some of the many adjectives that can be used to describe Victory Yinka-Banjo, the 17-year-old who aced all her senior secondary school leaving exams (Cambridge IGCSE – All As, WAEC- 9 A1s, JAMB – 335/400, IELTS – 8.5/9).
In this edition of the TeenAchiever, we had a virtual sit-down with her and she shared so many things that would inspire you.
Can we meet you?
My name is Victory Yinka-Banjo, I am Nigerian and I grew up in Nigeria for most of my life. My dad is Yoruba and my mum is Igbo so, I guess that makes me a Nigerian crossbreed (laughs). I lived in South Africa for four years. When I was eight, my family moved to South Africa and we returned when I was 12. Outside of that, I grew up in Nigeria.
While in South Africa, I attended an International School that exposed me to a lot of things. It opened my eyes to see the world differently and to thinking differently. I consider that period an important part of my life.
Upon return to Nigeria, I attended a Nigerian curriculum teaching school called Princeton from where I graduated in 2020. I have two younger siblings, my younger sister is 2years younger than me and my little brother is 10 years younger than me.
Was acing all your Secondary School Leaving Exams conscious goals or they just happened?
They were definitely goals that I have been working towards for a long time. They did not just happen. I write down my goals and stick them on my wall and I consistently see them when I wake up.
It was in 2019 that I wrote them down and told myself “these are goals you are going to spend the next year working towards.” So, they did not just happen. Everything was very intentional. Many actions I took and many things I sacrificed were intentional towards achieving those goals.
What were the sacrifices you made to achieve those goals?
I stopped using social media for a very long time. I deleted WhatsApp and Instagram. I am not the most social person, I do speak to my friends a lot but I cut down the time I would normally spend speaking with friends after school to go study in the Chemistry lab studying. I was very time conscious and I was sleeping a lot less. I was eating a lot less too because weirdly, eating makes me fall asleep.
I was very active in church but I had to let them know that I wouldn’t be as active for a while so I had to cut down my dedication to my work in Church. ‘You can do anything but you can’t do everything.” They were so many things I wanted to do whilst studying for my exams but I realized I had to prioritise and cut down on things that were taking up my time. I also started learning to say NO because it is better to tell someone outrightly that you cannot do it instead of disappointing them.
What is your study style?
I read consistently. I don’t leave studying until the last minute. Every assignment, every classwork is an opportunity to learn and revise. So, during school, I basically studied every day, even if it was just a 30-minute refresh period. On weekends and holidays, I obviously put in much more time.
What are your thoughts on practice (e.g for exams) and how vital is it?
As they say, practice makes perfect. That phrase is underestimated. I am a living witness/testimony. Whether it was in perfecting certain songs on my violin or mastering how to tackle specific Physics’ question applications, it was through a conscious repetitive effort that I saw improvement.
Who would you say has had the most impact on your life to date and why?
My parents and their support: definitely the most unparalleled force in my life. Behind every successful teenager or child or anyone who is yet to be an adult in this day and age, you will find a supportive mother, father or both.
My parents invested a lot in me in terms of education and in terms of wanting me to dedicate my time to education. They would allow me to free up my schedule when I needed to prioritise certain exams. Like when I was writing WAEC, they allowed me to stop doing dishes, reduced my chores. If I request help in any particular class, they would find a way for me to attend lessons.
For example, my mum registered me for JAMB classes when I told her I needed help. They are always there when I need help. It has always felt like a kind of joint pursuit. I never felt alone in my journey towards wanting to achieve certain goals. It has always been a kind of joint endeavour.
I am a very self-motivated person, so a lot of the goals I set come from me so they don’t set my goals for me. But when they know I have those goals, they are always there to provide support along the way and for when I meet challenges in the pursuit of my goals.
They are very supportive of me, and the kind of values they portray are commendable. For example, my parents are massively generous and very selfless. I have grown to learn that from them without them having to teach me. Also, my dad and my mum are God-fearing. My dad is very consistent with his prayer life, and I believe that that is one of the ways in which they have positively affected my relationship with God.
You mentioned earlier that your parents have helped you in your relationship with God, could you highlight some values that that relationship has impacted on you.
– Putting my best forward in all that I do
– Resilience; consistency
– Faith in situations that seem impossible
– Self-belief
Tell us more about your learning at home radio programme? How did that happen?
I was getting many questions and DMs and it felt overwhelming because I could not respond to them all. They were so many people I could not respond to and that made me feel guilty because I feel people just want help and advice and there is really no point pushing your achievements in people’s faces if you are not able to help them how you achieved what you did.
It is an initiative to give back and make myself more accessible to people because replying to the many messages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn was not working for me. It was a lot to juggle because I was also working on my University applications so I had to get off Social Media and focus on that and then come back to see how I could help others.
I am basically combining my passion for public speaking with my passion for teaching and my academic strength to help others. On the radio, I am teaching classes from physics to maths, to chemistry and we also have a Telegram chat group where students can send questions on specific subjects and topics and get answers from teachers. Everything is free.
We are still trying to expand so right now, it’s only on FM radio, but we are working on launching our online radio. Then, we go on to video tutorials and hopefully, be able to switch to podcast platforms like Spotify. It is still in its start-up phases but the goal is to be able to reach 4million Nigerian students.
Our largest follower base is in the North as that’s where people listen to FM radios frequency. Students who cannot afford to school listen. So, it is reaching the grassroots which is awesome but it is also reaching people with access to the internet like me. Students in the North also want to able to listen on the internet so we are trying to meet their needs as well. It is a lot. It is tasking but it is fulfilling.
Can You Tell Us More About Your University Applications?
Not at the moment. I have gotten word back from a couple of schools but that’s pretty confidential until April. I can tell you though that I applied to 26 schools and by April, I will have word back from all the schools. I can’t really disclose more than that.
Is the Learn At Home Programme your initiative?
It’s an initiative of Data Science Nigeria (DSN) and Master Card Foundation but they wanted to able to find someone to breach the gap because if you are working or speaking to teenagers, you also need a teenager on board. So, I have been helping with the ideation processes. Ideas on how to recruit people, what kind of people to recruit, what kind of things to teach, curriculum development.
Recently, we added teenagers as teachers to the Telegram group chat as teachers. So, many teenagers who excelled in WAEC and JAMB as well have also volunteered. Many of those were my ideas and many of those were Data Science Nigeria’s ideas. I am the Student Ambassador on the team, though I don’t go about saying the title (laughs), that’s what they call me on the team
Can you tell us some of the most impactful books you have read?
– Michelle Obama: Becoming
– John Maxwell: Failing Forward
– John Maxwell: The 360 Degree Leader
– 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens
There is a growing alarm on the use and abuse of social media by teenagers. How do you manage yourself with regards to it?
I delete the apps (e.g, Instagram, WhatsApp) from my phone during exams to save myself. When the apps are on my phone though, I set daily limits for them. Honestly, it’s just a promise one has to make to him/herself—to be disciplined enough to know when to switch the phone off.
Where do you draw inspiration to study from (people)?
My friends (I intentionally surround myself with people who are just as focused or even better than me; they inspire me); my goals (I put my goals on my wall conspicuously so seeing them every day helps me remember why I do what I do); my role models (their stories keep me going)
What are your hobbies?
– I like riding my bike
– I like editing videos on my laptop for fun
– I like talking a lot (voice-over artist and radio OAP)
– I like binge-watching funny/educational YouTube videos, e.g, TedX, ASAP Science, Dr Mike
What are your future ambitions?
To change the world in my own small way through a career dedicated to computer science/medical science research, concerted betterment of Nigeria by the youth, and empowerment of young people globally
What is Your Advice to Readers of the TeenAchiever and Other Teenagers?
My advice is for them to become the best version of themselves, rather than trying to be as good as or better than someone else. We should only be in competition with our previous selves. Never settle for less because there is always more.
Victory Yinka-Banjo is another African teenager going for gold, and we love to see it!
